HOPEWELL TWP. — The new kids on the block certainly didn’t act like playoff rookies.

Hopewell Valley, making its first appearance in an NJSIAA playoff game in the program’s 10-year history, did what it has done through the best regular- season in its history.

They got two touochdowns and more than 200 rushing yards from Andrew Yuska and two touchdown throws from Austin Fellows to Mike Gies to beat Ewing, 33-0, on Friday night at Ackerson Field in the opening round of the Central Jersey Group III playoffs.

The win sends head coach Dave Caldwell’s 8-1 team on to the sectional semifinal next Friday at No. 2 seed Ocean Township, which rolled over Warren Hills.

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Yuska, who scored on an 8-yard run for Hopewell’s first touchdown on the game’s opening drive and on a 6-yard run for the final score, finished with 227 yards on 25 carries.

Gies caught five passes for 95 yards while Fellows, despite throwing three first-half interceptions, completed 11 of 20 passes for 240 yards as HoVal maintained its offensive average by scoring 33 points.

“It’s all Austin, he just throws me great balls on those passes,” Gies said. “Nerves were coming because it was our first playoff game ever under the lights. But the nerves soon wore off.”

Gies caught his second touchdown in the back corner of the end zone after making one grab with both feet just inside the sideline for 35 yards.

“It is amazing that it was our first playoff game in school history and we played so well,” said Yuska, who spearheaded a running game that also got good production from sophomore backup Joe Immordino.

The defense, led by Kyle Horihan with two sacks, shut down Ewing’s best chance for a touchdown in the third quarter when Drew Wiley and Horihan stopped Devauntay Ellis inside the 1-yard line on two runs.

Ellis led Ewing’s offense with 20 carries for 77 yards.

“They may have been a little nervous at first, but that quickly went away,” said Caldwell, who founded the program a decade ago when games were played at the Pop Warner field that wasn’t even on campus.

After scoring on its opening possession, HoVal took a 20-0 halftime lead when it drove 66 yards in seven plays to open the second quarter with Immordino getting in from the 2-yard linie.

Fellows, intercepted twice early in the quarter, finally clicked with Gies for a 15-yarder to cap a nine-play, 60-yard drive 1:59 before halftime.

The two clicked on a 13-yard scoring pass to open the third period after getting to the 21 with the 35-yard completion to Gies.

Yuska’s longest run of the night was a 22-yarder to the 6-yard line in the fourth quarter, followed by his second touchdown run.